He stole jewellery which had been passed down through the family, as well as silverware and perfume.

Richardson had also logged details about former Hexham mayor Terry Robson, recording when he was likely to be out at meetings.

He broke into Mr Robson’s home while he was out at a council meeting, stealing jewellery and a laptop.

Catherine Dalby

A 79-year-old retired solicitor had her home in Riding Mill ransacked while she was out at a parish council meeting.

An 80-year-old widow was targeted in Stocksfield while she was out at a dance and supper in the village hall, Richardson stealing jewellery, antiques, and gold sovereigns.

A 67-year-old woman came back from a dance club to her home in Corbridge to find the burglary at her home still in progress.

She said: “I looked in and could see shadows. My whole body began to shake and my legs became weak.

“I was chilled to the bone. This is one of the most traumatic events of my life.”

Another victim, a retired court clerk, was out for a meal with her husband on New Year’s Eve 2014 when her home in Corbridge was burgled.

Richardson, of no fixed address, who has 59 previous convictions, admitted 20 burglaries between October 2012 and November 2015 and two counts of theft of a car. The total value of stolen goods was at least £59,674.

His former partner Dalby, 47, of Hadrian Road, Fenham, Newcastle, admitted six offences of handling some of the stolen property, between April 2014 and November 2015.

Lee Fish, for Richardson, said: “He targeted particular properties rather than particular people and he didn’t deliberately set out to burgle elderly or retired people.

“He was targeting addresses where he may find items of value.

“All of the burglaries, except the one where the person came home at the end of it, were on unoccupied premises.”

Paul Cross, for Dalby, said: “She was minding the goods under his direction.”